Haida Gwaii: On the Edge of the World

Canada Film Days. "It expertly mixes gorgeous footage -- whales, seals, the sky and the sea -- with cogent tales of practical living and activism." - National Post

Winner, Best Canadian Feature Documentary Award at Hot Docs

In one quietly powerful shot in this spectacular-looking documentary, a father and son play on an empty beach as a barge packed with freshly cut logs glides along the pristine water and out of the frame. This is Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands), an archipelago off the northwest coast of B.C. The place has an amazing history – rich with Haida art and culture. But it was devastated after contact – first by smallpox, and then by the stripping of its culture, and resources. So much more than a profile of this remarkable place and the cast of characters who populate it, this film captures the heart and heartbreak of the clashes it has seen, primarily over logging (in an unforgettable interview, a former police officer, who is Haida, recalls having to arrest his auntie at a protest). And it hints at what’s to come in a showdown over Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline. As one resident warns and promises: “We are ready to fight, believe me.” – Globe & Mail